# What is the pattern in this IQ test puzzle with spotted triangles and arrowed circles?

The solution for this test is 1. But what is the pattern?

P.S. I checked that 1 is the answer by simply trying different options in the test itself (Russian site for the test is here: http://sly2m.com/sly2m/IQ )

This one, I think, is a lot easier than it seems. The shapes of the objects aren't relevant, so ignore them.

In the first set, we see a sequence: something is on the top and bottom, something is on the left, and something is on the right.

  |X|     | |     | |
- - -   - - -   - - -
| |    X| |     | |X
- - -   - - -   - - -
|X|     | |     | |


Rotate this sequence 90 degrees, and you end up with the bottom row.

  | |     |X|     | |
- - -   - - -   - - -
X| |X    | |     | |
- - -   - - -   - - -
| |     | |     |X|


Now something is on the left and right, and something is on the top. This means that, in the third object, something is on the bottom.

Since the bottom row object happens to be a triangle, the answer is #1: a triangle with something in the bottom.

Rotate the circles clockwise 90 degrees so the arrows point to where you can see black circles through the triangle:

• This answer adds nothing new to previous ones. – klm123 Jul 9 '14 at 4:55
• Apologies. I had felt it added clarity - a visual answer to a visual question, but it's your question, and you're free to vote as you please. – AndrewC Jul 9 '14 at 6:53
• I think the pictures make it a lot clearer – Falco Aug 5 '14 at 13:16
• – AndrewC Feb 8 '15 at 2:19
• @AndrewC, "Focus on the post, not the person" ;) – klm123 Feb 8 '15 at 9:33

I think that the arrow at the top of the circle, pointing to the bottom, refers to the semi-circle at the right side of the triangle, and the arrow at the bottom of the circle (pointing to the top), refers to the semi-circle at the left side of the triangle. So, the arrow at the left of the circle (pointing to the right) refers to the part of the circle at the top of the triangle, and then the arrow at the right side of the circle (pointing to the left) refers to the semi-circle at the bottom of the triangle, which gives #1 as solution.

• +1 since it totally makes sense. What I do not like about such an explanation is that part of the circle on second and third pictures (that is the answer) are to far away from the centre of the triangle, meanwhile as arrows stays at the same distance to the centre of the circle. – klm123 Jul 5 '14 at 18:29
• While I agree with you, as a foreign English speaker I had to read your answer few times to get it. A simpler explanation would be: 1. isolate the inner shapes(arrows) 2. rotate the arrows 90 degrees(around the container's center) 3. place each arrow in a separate circle(container). Now do the same with triangle. – akinuri Jul 5 '14 at 22:35
• @klm123 The centre of each circle is always on the edge of the triangle, and the arrows always start on the circumference of the circle. In both cases you measure from the edge. – AndrewC Jul 9 '14 at 6:59

Here's my opinion...

We have a container shape (triangle or circle), and then an object within it. Treat the container object, separately from its content.

Now, imagine a line of symmetry on the first image (ie a mirror showing the content and its reflection)

The second image shows the container after the content has been rotated 90 degrees, and the mirror removed

The third image shows the reflection of the content

So the answer is 1 because it is showing just the reflection of the circle, within the container triangle.